Anger over police raid

A Bathurst man is still seeking answers for a police raid on his family home in the early hours of the morning three weeks ago – in an apparent attempt to find stolen goods.

TROUBLED BY POLICE ACTION: Bathurst resident Sicelo Nkantini is angry about the police unexpectedly raiding his family home in the early hours of the morning three weeks ago Picture: TK MTIKI

Sicelo Nkantini said the family was awoken by police at around 2.30am on Monday November 26.

“My father and younger brother Siyavuya Nkantini heard some people knocking at the front and back doors and when they woke up they discovered it was the police,” he said.

Siyavuya said the police’s presence in the yard was alarming considering that the gates were locked.

“We asked them how they gained access and they said that is not important, if someone is dying inside where we would enter,” he said.

Siyavuya said some police officers were inside shining torches while others were waiting outside with police vans.

Siyavuya said he and his father asked police officers for their names.

But according to Siyavuya, police refused to mention their names and instead said that they were looking for Sicelo Nkantini, Siyavuya’s older brother.

According to Siyavuya, Sicelo was not with them on that night as he was sleeping at his girlfriend’s place. They phoned him and told him that the police were looking for him.

Speaking for himself, Sicelo said: “Siyavuya phoned me and I came home. When I arrived there were five police outside the gate with the van and two inside. The gate was still locked so they had jumped over the fence to gain entrance.”

He said police told him that he was accused of buying a stolen amplifier and plasma TV.

He asked them for a search warrant, but he said they did not have one.

Sicelo said the police officers in the yard wanted him to open the gate for other police officers who were outside.

He promised to open the gate on condition that they give him their names.

He said the officers identified themselves as K9 unit officers Constable Trollip and Constable Soyi, both from Port Alfred Police Station.

“They entered the house and turned everything upside down without a search a warrant. They said to me a guy who is in custody and accused of stealing these things told them he sold them to me. But they did not find anything,” Sicelo said.

Sicelo said police were accompanied by the person whose goods had been stolen.

Complaining about the damage which he accused police of doing, Sicelo said: “They have broken the poles when they jumped over the fence, and our dignity was undermined.”